Verse 145 of Surah Al-Baqarah, within the epistemological framework of the Holy Quran, elucidates the fundamental concepts of oppression (zulm), darknesses (zulumt), light (nr), and fire (nr), and examines the status of these concepts in the existential hierarchy of creation. This verse, emphasising the ontological reality of all phenomenaincluding blessings and evilsand critically addressing traditional philosophies, offers a scientific and modern framework for understanding Quranic wisdom. This treatise, by aggregating lecture content and exegetical analyses, endeavours to explicate these concepts in a systematic, scholarly, and exalted manner for expert audiences and academic milieus. The structure of this text, featuring precise segmentation and comprehensive elaborations, is designed to maintain all details while establishing profound semantic links between Quranic concepts and philosophical analyses.
Key Point: Eight Quranic terms (ill, ulumt, nr, nr, ulm, limn, man alam, alm) encompass a comprehensive system of existential hierarchies, all of which are ontologically real, with none being privative or non-existent.
The Holy Quran, within a comprehensive system, utilises eight fundamental terms to describe levels of existence: ill (shade), ulumt (darknesses), nr (fire), nr (light), ulm (oppression), limn (oppressors), man alam (who is more unjust), and alm (injustice). From the Quranic ontological perspective, these terms encompass all realms of creation and are all existential. Contrary to traditional views that consider some phenomena as privative or non-existent, these termsfrom light (the highest degree) to darknesses (the lowest degree)are all ontologically real and none belong to the domain of non-being.
وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ بِكُلِّ آيَةٍ مَا تَبِعُوا قِبْلَتَكَ ۚ وَمَا أَنْتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا بَعْضُهُمْ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةِ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِنَّكَ إِذًا لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Translation: And if you were to bring to those who were given the Scripture every sign, they would not follow your qiblah; nor are you a follower of their qiblah; nor are some of them followers of the qiblah of others. And if you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, indeed, you would then be among the wrongdoers.
This verse, by referencing limn (oppressors), emphasises a level of oppression that arises from following desires in opposition to divine knowledge. This oppression is existential and occupies a distinct niche within the system of creation.
Ontological Reality of Blessings and Evils
Both blessings and evils are ontologically real, differing only in their existential levels: blessings as a degree (higher level) and evils as a pit (lower level).
Contrary to the views of ancient philosophers such as Aristotle, who regarded evils as privative (non-existent), the Quran considers evils to be ontologically real. This stance arose due to philosophers incapacity to explicate the agent of evil, leading to the privation theory of evil. However, the Quran, through verses like جَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ (He made the darknesses and the light), underscores the existential reality of both. Blessings, such as caressing an orphan, represent an exalted level, while evils, such as striking an orphan, represent a base level; nevertheless, both belong to the realm of existence.
Critique of the Privative Theory of Evil
The privative theory of evil, arising from the incapacity to explain the agent of evil, is a philosophical superstition incompatible with Quranic verses.
Traditional philosophers, to avoid dualism and the introduction of Ahriman as the agent of evil, considered evils as privative. This theory is refuted due to its incompatibility with Quranic verses which affirm the existential nature of evils. The Quran, by emphasising the creation and making of darknesses and light, nullifies this perspective.
Inefficacy of Traditional Philosophies
Traditional philosophies of religious science, due to antiquity and lack of innovation, fail to meet modern scientific needs and Quranic wisdom.
The prevalent philosophies in religious science, largely originating from past centuries, have become inefficient due to imitation and lack of dynamism. Concepts such as essence, quintessence, substance, accident, and gradational existence require re-examination due to incompatibility with scientific and Quranic findings. These philosophies neither withstand scientific criticism nor serve the productive time of students, resulting in scientific inefficacy.
Necessity for Innovation in Religious Science
Religious science must be reconstructed along three axes: affirming correct foundations, archiving incorrect premises, and adding new principles.
For the production of modern knowledge, religious science must abandon repetition of obsolete concepts and adopt innovation. This reconstruction includes the consolidation of correct scientific foundations, elimination of erroneous concepts, and introduction of new perspectives. This approach leads to the cultivation of creative scholars and addresses scientific and Quranic needs.
The critique of traditional philosophies and emphasis on reconstructing religious science present a solution to obsolescence and the production of modern knowledge. The Holy Quran, as the source of wisdom, must underpin this reconstruction to align religious science with contemporary scientific and philosophical demands.
Degrees and Pits in the System of Creation
Blessings (light) as degrees and evils (darknesses) as pits represent different levels of existence, all created by God.
The Holy Quran introduces blessings and evils as existential levels. Blessings, akin to light, constitute an exalted level (degree), whereas evils, akin to darknesses, form a lower level (pit). This distinction points to a hierarchy of creation extending from absolute light to earthly darknesses.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ
Translation: Praise be to God, Who created the heavens and the earth and made the darknesses and the light.
This verse, by emphasising the making of darknesses and light, indicates the ontological reality of both. Darknesses, as pits, and light, as degrees, are different existential levels created by divine will.
alm and Man Alam in Humans
alm and man alam are existential attributes ascribed to ordinary humans, from which believers and God are exempt.
Attributes of alm and man alam refer to wrongful acts of humans. These attributes are ascribed to sinners in the Quran, while believers and God are immune. This distinction indicates divine infallibility and the immunity of the faithful against oppression.
ulumt as a Descriptor of the Mundane World
ulumt describe the general characteristics of objects, individuals, and the mundane realm, present in hearts, space, and material things.
In the Quran, ulumt are introduced as a descriptor of the mundane world and material objects. This attribute resides in the human heart, atmosphere, and objects, indicating a lower level of existence.
اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ
Translation: God is the protector of those who believe; He brings them out of the darknesses into the light.
This verse, emphasising the movement from darknesses towards light, refers to the transition from pit to degree. Darknesses, as a lower existential level,
